


When the Sky Falls

by unorigelnal (jayburding)



Series: The One Where Loki's Asshole Tendencies are Genetic [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Gen, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-02
Updated: 2014-12-02
Packaged: 2018-02-27 22:18:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2708744
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jayburding/pseuds/unorigelnal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s a Tuesday night when the world begins to end.</p>
            </blockquote>





	When the Sky Falls

**Author's Note:**

> The very beginnings of a story based on this idea: "Sigyn who was once Loki’s friend and self proclaimed bodyguard, and, after a bad encounter with a more venomous variety of water torture, is now the surrogate mama to his kids while they’re hiding out on Midgard pretending to be a totally normal family not comprised of a smartass giant snake, a shy giant wolf, a sarcastic half dead frost giant and their antiven swilling, blade happy foster parent."

It’s a Tuesday night when the world begins to end. Sigyn steps out to go to the store for something as ordinary as milk to save a minor morning catastrophe tomorrow. Only Hel drinks her coffee black and Jörmungandr is guaranteed to throw a minor tantrum without caffeine.

She knows the Bifrost the moment it opens, can taste the silver flash of adrenaline, the kiss of panic burning at the back of a dry throat as she chokes trying to swallow. 137 running steps from one end to the other, flanked by mirror images of a man who wasn’t there. So much further from here to home, but she runs it anyway, car forgotten, her purchases abandoned somewhere along the way.

The oppressive force of the bridge lifts as she turns onto her anonymous little street, panting into the dimly lit dark as she flies for home. Jörmungandr  is at the door for her, twisting in place as he struggles to contain himself and casting a shadow to envelop the world. He holds her so tight she can’t breathe and it’s ok because it means he’s there and they haven’t come to take her kids when she stopped looking over her shoulder for them.

She pushes past and he forgives her by letting go so she can reassure herself that they are all still together. Almost. Hel sits on the living room floor with her good hand twisted into Fenrir’s ruff, but her gaze is so far away Sigyn half expects her to vanish. Fenrir almost seems to fear the same the way he huddles close, a pup still despite his size. They are all used to Hel’s turns and how to hold her in herself when she seems to be floating free, but centuries have turned since it has been this bad.

Hel knows the Bifrost the way none of them do. She knows the moment the light fades, when two steps behind is a lifetime spent falling and panic can only last so long. She fears the waning of the bridge far more than its first strike.

Well worn instinct prompts Sigyn to sit beside them, drawing Hel into her lap as Fenrir settles over the both of them like an obstinate blanket. Hands upon her shoulders assure her that Jörmungandr is there, though he still wears a shade of his father’s face rather than his own form, too large for their cosy home. Hel is ice in her arms, but Fenrir is warm enough even for her, and slowly she comes back from the far place her eyes are seeing.

"It’s gone," Jörmungandr murmurs when his sister finally blinks, one heavy hand upon her grey hair.

Hel nods, still clinging to Fenrir as Sigyn clings to her. They are all content to be held. She finally speaks, barely a whisper, but they are so close they hear her all the same.

"For how long?"


End file.
